[...]THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE IS GENDER-BASED, MEANING THAT THE ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE COMMITTED AGAINST WOMEN EXPRESSLY BECAUSE THEY ARE WOMEN, OR AS A RESULT OF PATRIARCHAL GENDER CONSTRUCTS. THE UN DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN STATES THAT "VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS A MANIFESTATION OF HISTORICALLY UNEQUAL POWER RELATIONS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN" AND THAT "VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS ONE OF THE CRUCIAL SOCIAL MECHANISMS

BY WHICH WOMEN ARE FORCED INTO A SUBORDINATE POSITION COMPARED WITH MEN".